Step-up mechanism



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Sept. 9, 1952 w. PATzER 2,509,698

STEP-UP MECHANISM Filed Oct. 6, 1951 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. /d//faa fr Y MKM Patented Sept. 9, 1952 STEP-Ur MECHANISM William Pa'tzer,l Chicago, Ill., assigner to y E. Threedy, Chicago, Ill., as trustee clarence.

Application ottenere, 1951, seria1No.2'0,`076

mventionrelatestc a's'tep-up mechanism and has for its `principal objectthe 'provision of an improved construction `which willbe highly eilcient in` use and economical in manufacture.

Another `and equally important object of theV invention is the provision of a siinplied. and improved construction for step-up mechanisms which operate vending machines by the use of one or lmore coins of different denominations.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a step-up mechanism of the class hereinafter described which will be simple and effective in use, and compact so as to occupy a limited amount oi' space within the machine'wherein` it is employed. 1

Qther objects will appear hereinafter.

. The invention consists in the novel Vcombina-` tion and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

.Y The. invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which: I

Fig. l `is 'an elevational view of my improved step-up mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my invention taken substantially on `lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.'3 is aside elevational view of my invention taken substantially on lines 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fp'ig. 4 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but with the parts in diierent position with respect to each other;

Fig.`5 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but with the parts in diierent relation with respect to eachother; f l

Fig. 6 is a suggested circuit diagram for use in my improved invention; and e Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view of a standard contact bearing disc and rotary 'wiper blade.

The several objects of the invention are ac' complished by the preferred form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings a mounting plate is indicated at I il. This plate I!) is mounted to a stationary wall ofthe vending machine with which it is associated (not shown).

The plate I!) has journaled therein arshaft l2. Connected to the outer end of the shaft I2 is a ratchet wheel I3.` The opposite end of the shaft I2, to the rear ofthe platel, terminates in a contact Vbearing disc I4 ,and wiper blade I5.` vThe ratchet wheel I3 is connected to the shaft I2 for anticlockwise rotation against the action of a clockspring I6. Such antclockwise rotation of the ratchet Wheel I3'imparts Inovement "to the'wipr blade l5 through the Shaft l2,

I "Claims. (Cl. 7425-128) so that the wiper 'blade is `win move over the,

contact heads I1 of the contact bearing disc I4. Connected to the plate I0 as at I8 `for pivtal movement thereon is an actuating bar I9. Pivotally connected to the center of the actuating.

bar I 9, by any suitable means, is a notched arm 20 forming an extension of the plunger 2| .jota

master solenoid 22. The master solenoid 22 is connected to the plate I0 as at 23, below andA` in spaced relation to the ratchet `wheel I3. The actuating bar I9 has pivotally secured thereto as at 24 astep-up pawl 24, which is adapted to engage the teeth 25 of the ratchet Whee1.l 3. The step-up pawl 24 is held inengagement with the teeth 25 of the ratchet wheel I3 by a ten"- sion spring 26, one end of which is secured to the step-up pawl 24 as at 21, with its opposite end 'secured to the actuating bar I9 as at 28. The arrangement is such that when the master solenoid 22 is energized by the closing of accinactuating switch (switch Z as shown inthe circuit diagram, Fig. 6), the plunger 2| draws the actuating bar I9 downwardly against the action ofthe tension spring 26 pulling the step-up pawl. over the teeth 25 of the ratchet wheel I3 aprede.-. termined number of steps. Upon deenergization of the solenoid 22, the step-up pawl` 24 steps up the ratchet wheel I3 under the actionY ci. the tension spring 26. Theupper end of the steigt-upV pawl 24 terminates in a'bifurcation 31|]whl'ch purpose will hereinafterbe described.

on the plate` lo below the ratchet wheel l andI to either side of the master solenoid 22, are block'' ing coils 32 and 33. These coils are secured to the plate as at I3 by any suitable means, such as by screws, etc. 'I'hese blocking coils have armatures 34 and 35, pivotally connected to the plate IIJ as at 32 and 33'. These armatures 34 and 3,5

are U-shaped at one end, with the other ends terminating in blocking iingers 35 and 31 which are parallel and in spaced relation tothe plungerv 2| of the master solenoid 22. Protruding through holes 38 and 39 in the plate Ill are switch ngers 4U and 4I of switches 40 and 4I which are loV cated .on the reverse side of the plate Ill.` These switch fingers 4D and 4I extend outwardly from the plate I0 and are bracketed by the` U-ishafped ends 42 and 42 of the armatures 3.4 and 356i4 31, belowv their point of pivotal connection, 32'y and 33..

Locatea on the 'pine m and snow the coins;

Fler.

notch arm 2|) so that the end of the blocking fingers 36 will engage the notched portion 36' of the arm 20. At the same time, but after the completed movement of the blocking nger 3.6, the U-shaped end 42 engages the switch nger 40 and closes the switch 4U', which in turn energizes the master solenoid 22, with which it is in circuit. The energization of the master solenoid 22 pulls the plunger 2| and the notched arm in a downward direction, such movement being limited by the engagement of the blocking ngers36 in thev notch 36', so` as to limit the movement of the step-up pawl 24 over the teeth 25 Aof the ratchet wheel I3, as seen in dotted lines, Fig. 5. j

, The same function is found in the operation of switch X with the exception that this switch is energized by a switch actuated by a coin of a diiferent denomination, for example, a ten-cent coin,than was switch Y. Also, due to the fact that the notches 36 on the side of the arm 23 of the armature 2| are offset with respect to eachother, such that o-ne is lower than the other, the lower notch will afford more movement ofthe armature 2| which in turn will allow the step-up pawl 24 to pass over more teeth 25 of the ratchet wheel I3, as seen in dotted lines of Fig. 4. Upon deposit of a ve-cent coin, the step-up pawl 24 will move down one tooth, Whereas, upon deposit of a ten-cent coin, the pawl 24 will move over two teeth, and for the twenty-five cent coin, the pawl 24 will move over five teeth.

Secured as at 45 to the plate I0 is a reset coil 46. Thisreset coil is operated by an independent manual switch and circuit as shown in Fig. 4.' Attached t0 the outer end of the plunger 41 of this reset coil 46, is a link connection 48 that passes upwardly through a hole 49 ,in the blocking coil armature to the rear of the actuating bar I9v and beyond the bar where it is connectedto an arm of a holding dog 50, which is pivotally secured as at 5| to the plato Ill. This holding dog 50 is adapted to engage the teeth 25 of the ratchet wheel I3 so as to prevent clockwise rotation thereof. When the reset coil 46 is energized, the plunger 41 is forced outwardly, moving the link connection 48 upwardly andpivo-ting the holding dog 50 against the action of the tension spring 52, out of'engagement with the teeth 25 of the ratchet wheel I3.

Connected to the head of the holding dog 56, isA

another link connection 53 that runs across the top of the ratchet wheel I3 to a member 55 pivotally secured as at 56 to the plate II).l On this pivotal member 55 is a protruding stud 51 which slidably engages the bifurcation 30 of the stepup pawl 24, so that when the reset coil 46 is energized and the holding dog 50 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel I3, movement of the link conn ection 53 will pivot the member 55 and its stud 51 into the bifurcation 30 and pivot the step-up pawl 24 on its pivotal connection 24 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel I3, to permit the'wheel I3 to return to its starting o-r zero Fig. 6.y

4 position, under the tension of the clock spring I6.

The operation of my improved step-up mechanism is as follows:

The wheel I3 is advanced step-by-step in an anticlockwise direction through the step-up pawl 24. This is accomplished as follows:

When the switch Z, which is illustrated as a twenty-five cent ,coin-actuatedswitch (Fig. 6) is closed, the master solenoid 22'will beenergized and draw the plunger 2| and the actuating bar I9 with the step-up pawl 24 attached thereto in a downward direction, causing the pawl 24 to pass over a predetermined number of teeth 25 of the wheel I3. In this instance the twenty-five cent coin will cause the pawl 24 to pass over iive teeth of the wheel, to afford a step-up of five, as viewed in dotted lines, Fig. 1.

Upon deenergization of the master solenoid 22, the actuating bar I9 with the step-up pawl 24 in engagement with the teeth 25 oi the wheel I3, will be drawn upward to starting position under thetension of the spring 26, causing the step-up to take place. Simultaneously with 4this Inove-v ment the holding dog 56 will ride over the*` teeth 250i the wheel I3 at the back edges of the teethl 25 of the Wheel I3 form a cam surface over which the holding dog 5|).will ride. Movement of' the wheel I 3 willbe imparted to the shaft I2 to which it is secured, and the shaft I2 will in turn move` the wiper blade I5 over the contact heads I1 of the disc I4.

When the blocking coil 33 is energized by thev coin switch Y (illustrated here as a ten-cent coin switch), the armature 35 is drawn upward,

pivoting the blocking finger 31 into engagementwith the plunger 2| of the master solenoid 2z,

so as to cause the blocking iingers 31 to ride ,r in the notched portion 36' ofpsaid plunger,r while,A in the same movement of the armature 35, butafter the blocking nger 31 is adjacent the arm 20 of the plungerZI, the U-shaped bracket 421 encompassing the switch nger 4I will cause the over only two of the teeth 25 of the wheel |3,AV

as viewed in dotted lines, Fig. 4.

The same operation takes place when the five-cent coin-actuated switch X is closed and the blocking coil 32 energized.Y The movement of the step-up pawl 24 over the teeth 25 of the wheel I3 is then limited to one tooth,as viewed in dotted lines, Fig. 5.

The Vsame operation can be traced out in th diagram of the suggested circuit as viewed in After the ratchet wheel I3 has made a complete revolution, and is stopped from further movement by the stop stud 5B located on the plate I0 and which engages a stop stud 58 on the back of the wheel I3, the reset coil. 46 may be holding dog'o, to disengage the dog from the wheel, and to pivot Y the member 55 which, through its stud 51, will pivo-t the step-up pawl 24 out of engagement with the teeth 25 of thev wheel I3. 'After the ydisengagement of these ele-4 Iments the wheel I3 is free to return to its start- Correing or zero position under the tension of the clock spring I6.

Whilev I have illustrated and described the preferred form o-f construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modiiication without departing from the spirit of the invention, I, therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire Ito protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a shaft rotatably carried by the structure, a ratchet wheel carried by and rotatable with said shaft, an actuating bar pivotally carried by said Support, a step-up pawl pivotally connected to said actuating bar, said pawl engageable with said wheel for advancing said wheel aV predetermined number of ste-ps, electromagnetic means including a plunger pivotally connected to said bar and adapted to actuate said bar to advance said pawl over said wheel, said plunger having notches formed on opposite sides thereof with one of said notches oiset with respect to the other to provide shoulders at substantially different levels with respect to the length of said plunger, means engageable with said shoulders to vary the position of engagement of said pawl with said wheel, and a holding dog engageable with said Wheel to hold said wheel against rotation in a direction opposite to the movement of said wheel by said pawl.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a shaft rotatably carried by the structure, a ratchet wheel carried yby and rotatable with said shaft,an actuating 'bar pivotally carried by said structure, a stepup pavvl pivotally connected to said actuating bar, said pawl engageable with said Wheel for `advancing said wheel a predetermined number of steps, electromagnetic means including a plunger .p-iv'otally connected to said bar and adapted to actuate said bar to advance said paWl over said wheel, said plunger having notches formed on opposite sides thereof and offset with respect to each other to provide shoulders at substantially different levels with respect to the length of the plunger, blocking fingers pivotally connected to said structure and engageable with said shoulders, means for actuating said iingers to pivot the fingers into engagement with said shoulders to limit movement of said plunger so as to vary the position of engagement of said pawl with said Wheel, and a holding dog engageable with said Wheel to hold said Wheel against rotation in a direction opposite to the movement of said Wheel by said pawl.

3. A device of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a shaft rotatably carried by said structure, a ratchet Wheel carried by and rotatable With said shaft, an actua-ting bar pivote-ily carried by said structure, a step-up paWl pivotally connected to said actuating bar, said pawl -engageable with said Wheel for advancing said wheel a predetermined number of steps, electromagnetic means providing a plunger piv otally connected to said actuating bar, said electromagnetic means adapted to actuate said bar through said plunger to advance said pawl over said Wheel, said plunger having a notch formed in one side thereof to provide a shoulder, a. blocking finger pivotally carried by said structure and having an end portion engageable with said shoulder, means for actuating said finger toengage said end portion with said shoulder to block said plunger to limit movement of the latter by said electromagnetic means, means for successively actuating said finger and said plunger, holding means engageable with said Wheel to hold said Wheel against rotation in a direction opposite `to the movement of said Wheel by said pawl.

4. A device of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a shaft rotatably carried by said structure, a ratchet wheel carried by and rotatable with said shaft, an actuating bar pivotally carried by said structure, a step-up pawl pivotally connected to said actuating bar, said pawl engageable with said Wheel for advancing said Wheel a predetermined number of steps, electromagnetic means providing a plunger pivotally connected to said actuating bar, said electromagnetic means adapted to actuate said bar through said plunger to advance said pawl over said Wheel, said plunger having a notch formed in one side thereof to provide a shoulder, a blocking finger pivotally carried by said structure and having an end portion engageable with said shoulder, electromagnetic means for actuating said finger to engage said end portion with said shoulder to block said plunger to limit movement of the latter by said electromagnetic means, means for successively actuating said nger and said plunger, and electromagnetic holding means engageable with said Wheel to hold said Wheel Iagainst rotation in a direction opposite to the movement of said wheel by said pawl.

' WILLIAM PATZIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Williams Apr. 19, 1949 

